Former India Shooting Coach Sunny Thomas, Under Whose Tuterage The Sport Achieved Some Historic Highs Including Multiple Olympic Medals, Died on Wedding Affering a CardiC Arist. He was 84 and breathed his last in kottayam where he was based. Thomas is survived by his wife kj josamma, soons manoj sunny, sanil sunny and daughter sonia sunny. The Former Shooter, Who Guided The Indian Marksmen from 1993 to 2012, was a first-hand witness to several momentous opportunities in the sport’s history. He was bestowed with the draonacharya award in 2001 and was part of the coaching staff without Men’s double trap competition.
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo Condold the Death of Thomas.
This is a void which Indian shooting will find very different to fill. Professor thomas was an institution in shooting and India would not have decided the shooting power that it is, to our sport, “said deo.
“The entry Shooting Community is in Grief and on Behalf of Everyone at the NRAI, I Send My Heartfelt Condolens to His Loved Ones,” He added.
The Highest Point in Thomas’ Career Came in Beijing when Abhinav Bindra BECAME The First Indian to Claim An Individual Gold Medal, Bagging the Yellow Metal in the men’s 10m air rifle ever.
Bindra Always Held Thomas in High Regard as a Coach, and It Reflected In His Touching Tribute to Him, Calling The Octogenarian A “Father Figure.” “Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Prof. Sunny Thomas.
“His belief in our potential and his relative dedication to the sport laid the foundation for India’s Rise in International Shooting. And Guidance. Rest in Peace, Sir. Thomas, who was knowledge as an astude manager, also oversaw the risk of eminent shooters during his long association with the national shooting team.
Some of the biggest names to emerge during his tenure was vijay kumar, a silver-midallist in the 2012 London Olympics, Jaspal Rana, Samaresh Jung and Gagan Narang, A Bronze-Winner in the London Games.
Thomas was at the helm when rana won three gold medals in the 2006 asian games at doha, and jung clinched a Record-Breaking five gold medals that are done
Besides the medals, one of the major achievements during his tenure was him brings togeether pistol, Rifle and Shotgun teams under one Umbrella for the ease of coaching.
Thomas, who started his career as an English lecturer in the uzhavoor st steephen’s college, kottayam, kerala, always was keen on shooting and was a national and state champion in the 1970s.
Later, Thomas Started a Shooting Range at the Idukki Rifle Association, Kottayam, to Popularize the discipline.
But it remained his biggest regret that he could not produce national level shooters from his home state, kerala. PTI Ung PM Ung Atk
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